Sunday, September 2, 2012

Dreaming Awake Book Review

Annotation:
After
Theia Alderson made a deal with demon queen Mara in Under, she returns to the
world of the living, half-human, half-demon like her boyfriend, Mara’s son,
Haden. Unsure about her new powers, Theia struggles to get back to her normal
life of high school and hanging out with her friends, Donny and Amelia. When
students at her school begin to mysteriously fall ill, however, Theia worries
that she brought something sinister back with her on her return from Under.

Personal
thoughts:Falling Under was
easily one of my favorite novels of 2011, so I was really excited to finally
pick up the sequel. Although some of the elements of the first book that I
loved so much were still there (Theia’s journeys to Under in her dreams, Haden’s
charm, etc.), I wasn’t nearly as into the story as I was in Falling Under. There was too much fluff
in the first half of the novel, leaving the action that occurred at the end
feeling rushed and unsatisfying. I also felt that the author opened many doors
in Dreaming Awake, but didn’t ever
close them. I hope that she does write a third novel that can return the story
to the level of originality and intrigue that was the first book. If she doesn’t
then I think a series that had loads of potential would be squandered.

Plot
summary: After Theia Alderson made a deal with demon queen Mara to protect
Haden, Mara’s son and Theia’s boyfriend, she thought she would be stuck living
in the beautiful but deadly world of Under for eternity. Thanks to her friends
Donny, Amelia and Varnie, however, a summoning spell returns Theia to the world
of the living. Reunited with Haden and her father, who thinks she ran away,
Theia must now return to her normal high school routine while coping with the
fact that she is now half-human, half-demon like Haden. Strange things start occurring
in the weeks following Theia’s return from Under, however. Students at her high
school begin to fall ill, she is plagued by dreams of a darkly beautiful garden
next to a black, slow-moving river, and she can’t seem to shake the feeling
that Mara is trying everything in her power to return her and Haden to Under.
Will Theia have to choose between saving her friends and family or leaving them
forever to spend an eternity as Mara’s servant in a land of skeletons, blood and
nightmares?

Review: Following
up her creative and riveting novel, Falling
Under, Gwen Hayes continues her paranormal romance series for young adults
with Dreaming Awake. The story picks
up right where the first book left off, with Theia returning from several
months in Under to a life on the surface that is different from the one she
left behind. The same cast of characters are back: Theia’s wise-cracking but
caring friends, Donny and Amelia, sweet, cross-dressing medium, Varnie, and
Theia’s darkly handsome boyfriend (and reason for the events of the first novel
to have taken place), Haden. What hasn’t returned for the sequel, however, is
the captivating story that was Falling
Under. Theia spends the majority of the sequel soul-searching (both
figuratively and literally), trying to determine the nature of her new “demon
blood” and wondering if she and Haden’s relationship will really work out. The
mystery surrounding Haden himself is gone, replaced instead by a somewhat
controlling, jealous boyfriend who can’t imagine why Theia has doubts about
their amour. Mara, Haden’s demon mother, is arguably the most interesting part
of the book. Icily beautiful and completely evil, she wants nothing more than
to seek revenge on Theia for betraying her and leaving Under. The book ends
with everything resolved more or less, but still open for another novel, which
the author says may or may not be published. Fans of the wonderful Falling Under will likely want to read
this novel, but not many will enjoy it with as much fervor as its predecessor.

Genre: Fiction/Romance

Reading
level: Grade 8+

Similar
titles: Falling
Under by Gwen Hayes, The Soul
Screamers by Rachel Vincent, Misfit by
Jon Skovron, Shattered Souls by Mary
Lindsey, The Space Between by Brenna
Yovanoff, Everneath by Brodi Ashton.

2 comments:

I read both books in this series last year and just realized I never reviewed it. While I really enjoyed the storyline, what I really loved was the writing style. I look forward to more by this author.Best Canada Baby Gift Basket information

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Welcome to my blog! I'm a librarian who loves to read...unusual, right? This blog contains my reviews and thoughts about the books I read, and other information for tweens, teens, parents, teachers, librarians and anyone else who loves books. Enjoy!